❓ Mr. Cook questions the Minister for Health about when he became aware of delays to the Fiona Stanley Hospital project, alleging a cover-up. The Minister denies the allegations, citing conflicting views among senior executives.
AnsweredQoN 378Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FIONA STANLEY HOSPITAL — COMMISSIONING
DELAY
378. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for Health:
Yesterday in this house the minister
continued to claim that he first learnt about the delay to Fiona Stanley
Hospital only in March this year, despite revelations that senior bureaucrats
in his department knew at least last November. I refer to his two meetings with
the ex-director general of Health, Kim Snowball, in November last year, a
further meeting with Mr Snowball in December and another meeting in January
with the health area chief executives.
(1) How can we be
expected to believe that at not one of these meetings was the minister alerted
to the delay of the biggest health capital works project in this state?
(2) Is this not
just another example of the cover-ups and dishonesty that became a hallmark of
this government in the lead-up to the last election?
DELAY
378. Mr R.H. COOK to the Minister for Health:
Yesterday in this house the minister
continued to claim that he first learnt about the delay to Fiona Stanley
Hospital only in March this year, despite revelations that senior bureaucrats
in his department knew at least last November. I refer to his two meetings with
the ex-director general of Health, Kim Snowball, in November last year, a
further meeting with Mr Snowball in December and another meeting in January
with the health area chief executives.
(1) How can we be
expected to believe that at not one of these meetings was the minister alerted
to the delay of the biggest health capital works project in this state?
(2) Is this not
just another example of the cover-ups and dishonesty that became a hallmark of
this government in the lead-up to the last election?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Members
clearly did not listen to the answers I gave when I was here before. I did not
say, as the member said, that we knew in November that it would be delayed.
Mr
R.H. Cook : Your department already admitted that.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : No, it has not admitted that.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the first time. If you
ask a question, allow the person to whom you asked the question to answer the
question.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The
member needs to go back and read the transcript of what he was asked and what
he said. That officer was of the view —
Mr R.H. Cook : So
you've seen the transcript?
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
told the member that yesterday. He should go and look in Hansard . The transcript of the interview that the committee had
with that member is available. I did not sneak it away; I must have been given
it and I have read the transcript. There were two sections, one in-camera,
which obviously we do not get to see, and one direct interview. Read the words
he said in that direct interview. In his view it was going to be delayed. Other
senior executives—in fact, executives who are more senior than he is—did
not agree with him.
Mr R.H. Cook : So
he was right and other senior executives were wrong?
Dr K.D. HAMES : As
it turned out, he was right.
Mr R.H. Cook : Is
that why the director general had to leave his office?
Dr K.D. HAMES : It
has nothing to do with me that it turned out he was correct; he was the one in
charge. He formed the view —
Mr R.H. Cook : Are
you sure you're not misleading the house?
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
am absolutely confident. Not only am I confident, but I have seen the actual
date sequence of events and I have spoken to the member who gave evidence and
he said to me just today, ''Yes, it was my view and, yes, the director
general didn't agree with me.'' The member, himself, should ask
him.
clearly did not listen to the answers I gave when I was here before. I did not
say, as the member said, that we knew in November that it would be delayed.
Mr
R.H. Cook : Your department already admitted that.
Dr
K.D. HAMES : No, it has not admitted that.
Mr
R.H. Cook interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Kwinana, I call you to order for the first time. If you
ask a question, allow the person to whom you asked the question to answer the
question.
Dr K.D. HAMES : The
member needs to go back and read the transcript of what he was asked and what
he said. That officer was of the view —
Mr R.H. Cook : So
you've seen the transcript?
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
told the member that yesterday. He should go and look in Hansard . The transcript of the interview that the committee had
with that member is available. I did not sneak it away; I must have been given
it and I have read the transcript. There were two sections, one in-camera,
which obviously we do not get to see, and one direct interview. Read the words
he said in that direct interview. In his view it was going to be delayed. Other
senior executives—in fact, executives who are more senior than he is—did
not agree with him.
Mr R.H. Cook : So
he was right and other senior executives were wrong?
Dr K.D. HAMES : As
it turned out, he was right.
Mr R.H. Cook : Is
that why the director general had to leave his office?
Dr K.D. HAMES : It
has nothing to do with me that it turned out he was correct; he was the one in
charge. He formed the view —
Mr R.H. Cook : Are
you sure you're not misleading the house?
Dr K.D. HAMES : I
am absolutely confident. Not only am I confident, but I have seen the actual
date sequence of events and I have spoken to the member who gave evidence and
he said to me just today, ''Yes, it was my view and, yes, the director
general didn't agree with me.'' The member, himself, should ask
him.
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